The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-01-15

Il wa II lOOntii 10 see We OUU, ne
said. "Hecrd We wus tol'able feeble"
III h'ain't never been smarter" Ole
Levi Cushin' rejoined, with tremulous
kerccness. at don't stan to reason
but what I sh'd be full as smart as
them that's two er three year oldcr'n /
be-"
His antagonist carefully unfolded a
clean blue cotton handkerchief, in 81
lence of momcntary defeat. The Bap-
tist choir, headed by Elder Comstock,
filed up the path and into the house. A
moment later the notes of Mrs. PEBBLES
melodeon sounded forth. and the voices
of the choir, irreproachable as to time
and nasally distinct in pronunciation,
in the rendering of "China":
Why do we mourn departed friends,
Or shake at deaths alarmsr
"I don know rs l sh'd "a he'd no
partic'ler fault to n found with Abel
Hollinshead," said Ole CLANCY Ma 'sh,
calmly shifting his tactics, "ef he'd "a
he'd jest leetle more enterprise-a
leetle more push. Jest rs clcver-heart-
ed man rs ever l see, but terrible
lackin' thar. IF hedn't "a give him
two or three hists, Il don know whar he'd
n ben"
He talked on fast, in his high-pitchcd
quaver, to prevent Ole Levi Cushin',
who sat dimly glowering at him, from
breaking in.
"Back' ards, Abel wus. Well-meanin',
but he seemed to kind o. want boostin'.
Length O. time it took him gettin' mar
ried, now-don' know as ye ever heerd;
little too good to be lost, that thar"
He looked about, tentatively eager,
over his hearers. They sat in silent de-
preston. Ole Cha'ncy Mash had told
about the length of time it had taken
Uncle Abel to get married, with varied
alterations and digressions, for some
twenty years.
"Wal," said the old man, beginning
slowly; with tremulous smile, and
rubbing his knotty hands together in
the simple enjoyment of living over the
past, which is the touching life of the
old, and in qualification at having an
audience for his timeworn theme, Eye
might say label WANT just amenable
ner Haryit neither; but I dom know
'Tain't many'd "a he'd fortitude for
nineteen years O. courtin'."
He paused with an eXpectant chuckle.
But the pleasantly was familiar one;
the solemn silence remained intact.
The voice of the preacher drifted out,
rising and falling in sonorous prayer.
"Hed spunk enough, tew, Haryit
Galpin did," said Ole Cha'ncy Ma sh,
rehectively. "Mis' PEBBLES, she favors
her consid'able. Had enough sight
more git up an git ahead N Abel;
looked long to the fust as though Abel
} WANT prcdestined to git her. He'd
ben goin' thar stiddy fer a period O
ten month afore he cd work hisself up
to comm to the pint; an 'twouldn't "a
, been brought to pass then ef it hadn't
, "a been fer me. l says to him-I kin
} recollect sayin' i'll wouldn't 60 q
gret amount on yer chances, Abel,
} says I, 'ef ye don't git it settled up
middlin' quick. She h'ain't got the
patience o. job, faint likely; thai
: h'ain't no gal It has, l says. Abel he
, was tlustered-easy hustered, Abe
: was; but he give in It was talkin
1 reason. Wal, didn't reely look to SET
, him foller my counsel, bein' so weak
: willed an procrastinatin' as he he was
, but sure as ye live 'twan't long after
wards l was goin' long past Gal
: pinses' place-sot where the meetin'
house sets now; didn't look much lik'
it does now, Sampson didn't. Woods
all round here an clean down to th'
. river; half squar mile er so down t.
the centre was all It he'd ben cleared
) off, an jest handful o houses"
"Them woods" said Ole Levi Cushin
clearing his throat deliberately, "wu'
l pretty nigh chock-full o. beasts long
bout that time. I've shot more on zen
n We cd pint stick at. l kin remem
Der startin' off with my ole ilint-locl
an bite o. somethin' four or fiv'
times week on a gineral average
Thar wus oncet t kin recollect par
ticler; it d ben snowin' stiddy fer /:
consid able spell, an them woods WI:
as full O. tracks"
II was goin' long past Galpinses
place." Ole Cha'ncy Mash pursued
shrilly, "an' heerd kind O. groanin
noise t 'peared to come from somewhat
round; an come to investigate, tina
wus Abel Hollinshead settin' by tn
corner O. the fence, takin' on like al
possessed. What on airth s ailin' we
Abelp' says /, She amt minded t.
hev me. says Abel. Wal, got hin
histed up somehow er mother an pintet
fur hum. But says I, 'Ye won't b.
wurth yer salt, Abel, Isays, 'ef ye dom
: foller her right up, now 'tye're started
; YEN be lackin' in Judgment, Abel
says. AN SO tell ye.' Wal, l didn'
much reckon It he'd hev the gumptioi
to heed me; but he seen the wisdom o
my words, an he sort O. spunked up I
lcetle an KEEP on goin' to Galpinses
some oftener n afore; an come a yea
er so an Haryit she give in It she'd he'
him; pestered into it, reckon.
"Wal, ef it hadn't been fur their folk
, they'd "a settled down jest bout seven
teen years sooner n they did; took 'en
jest seventeen year as 'twus. Their ain
much doubt but what their folks didn'
, do jest right by 'em; that thar wus thu
gineral opinion.
1.-THE Hollinshcads they made the fus
rumpus. Haryt an Abel, they'd fin
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